Device for protecting a skater from effects of spill

ABSTRACT

A protective device for young skaters which protects them in the event of a fall or spill. The device is in the form of a circular frame which fits about the mid-section of the skater and is hand held in place. The frame is shaped in the form of a circular hoop fastened by four vertical members to a small open hoop that fits under the arms of the wearer, with a lateral support fastened to each pair of vertical members that may be gripped by one of the wearer&#39;&#39;s hands.

United States Patent 11 1 1 1 3,844,554 LaMontagne 1 Oct. 29, 1974 15 1 DEVICE FOR PROTECTING A SKATER 153,827 8/1874 Holman 297 5 FROM EFFECTS OF SPILL 320,462 6/1885 272/703 1,394,224 10/1921 Scott 297/6 Inventor: Roger LaMontagne, Montreal, 3,195,550 7/1965 Ingalls et a1 272/704 x Quebec, Canada 3,394,933 7/1968 Benoit 272/704 [73] Assignee: The Raymond Lee Organimtion, FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS New York, NY. a P 670,717 3/1929 France 2/216 interest 22 Filed: May 1973 Primary Examiner--George J. Marlo Assistant ExaminerR T. Stouffer PP 365,261 Attorney, Agent, or FirmHoward I. Podell 52 us. c1. 272/1 R, 2/2, 2/216, 1 ABSTRACT 272/ A protective device for young skaters which protects [51] Int. Cl. A63b 71/12, A41d 13/00 them in the event of a fall or spill. The device is in the [58] Field of Search 272/1 R, 70.3, 70.4, 70; form of a circular frame which fits about the mid- 2/1, 2, 46, 216; 35/29 R; /45 A; section of the skater and is hand held in place. The 280/1137 R, 87.02 W; 297/5, 6; D6/5, 6, 7, frame is shaped in the form of a circular hoop fas- 8, 9, l0; D83/1 E tened by four vertical members to a small open hoop that fits under the arms of the wearer, with a lateral [56] References Cited support fastened to each pair of vertical members that UNITED STATES PATENTS may be gripped by one of the wearer's hands. 42,677 5/1864 Moody 2/216 1 Claim, 3 Drawing Figures DEVICE FOR PROTECTING A SKATER FROM EFFECTS OF SPILL SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a device for protecting a skater from the effects of a fall or spill, and particularly to a device which is in the shape of a circular frame that may be fitted about the mid-section of a skater.

The advantage of this device is that it is in the form of a light weight frame that the skater carries to assure himself of protection in the event of a fall or spill, and thus enables the skater to more readily concentrate on learning to skate. A further advantage of the device is that the frame is of a simple and light weight shape and may be easily grasped by a young skater or a learner.

The device is in the form of a frame comprising a circular hoop which is fitted about a parallel plane atthe level of the knees of the wearer, with four vertical members fastening the hoop to a small open circular member that fits under the arms of the wearer. A lateral member joins each pair of vertical members, on each side, and the device is held by the skater, with a hand grasping each lateral member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The objects and features of the invention may be understood with reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment of the invention, taken together with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the device being worn by a skater;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the device; and

FIG. 3 is an elevation view of the device.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Turning now descriptively to the drawings, in which similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views, FIG. 1 illustrates the device worn about wearer 20 with a lateral member 16 grasped by each hand 21.

As shown in FIGS. 1-3 the device comprises a circular hoop section 11 which fits in a horizontal plane about the mid-section of the wearers body, said hoop section 11 being fastened by four equally spaced vertical members 15 to a small open circular member 19 that fits under the arms and about the back of the wearer. On each side, a lateral member 16 joins each pair of vertical members 15, and lateral member 16 is fitted with a plastic or rubber grip 17. A plastic or rubber grip 18 is mounted on each side of the upper open circular member 19, so as to comfortably fit under the armpits of the wearer.

Each vertical member 15 is adjustablein length and may be formed of a small diameter tubular section 13 that fits telescopically inside of a larger internal diameter tube 12, with bolt 29 fastening the telescopic section together to form the proper length of each vertical member 15.

In the preferred embodiment the hoop 10, vertical skater 20, the hoop 11 forms a convenient buffer, and

the shock and impact of a fall is sharply reduced by the manner in which the lateral members 16 are grasped by the hands 21 of the skater.

Since obvious changes may be made in the specific embodiment of the invention described herein, such modifications being within the spirit and scope of the invention claimed, it is indicated that all matter contained herein is intended as illustrative and not as limiting in scope.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A device for protecting a skater from the effects of a fall or spill, said device being adaptable to being hand carried about the exterior body and clothing of the skater and comprising a continuous circular hoop member joined by longitudinal vertical structural members to an open hoop member of smaller diameter which is fastened in a plane generally parallel to theplane of the continuous circular hoop member, together with a lateral member mounted on each side of the device to a pair of said vertical structural members in a plane parallel to, and mid-way between the plane of the continuous circular hoop member and the plane of the open hoop member, with the open hoop member being of a size to fit under the armpits and about the back of a wearer, and the continuous circular hoop member being of a size to fit freely about the body of the wearer, with said vertical structural members being of adjustable length, so that the device may be carried by a skater with the open hoop member fitted under his armpits, the continuous circular hoop member located about the mid-section of the body of the skater, and with eachhand of the skater grasping a lateral member, in which a hand grip member of resilient composition is fitted on each lateral member, and in which grip member of soft resilient composition is fitted on each side to the open hoop member, adaptable for fitting under the armpit of a wearer. 

1. A device for protecting a skater from the effects of a fall or spill, said device being adaptable to being hand carried about the exterior body and clothing of the skater and comprising a continuous circular hoop member joined by longitudinal vertical structural members to an open hoop member of smaller diameter which is fastened in a plane generally parallel to the plane of the continuous circular hoop member, together with a lateral member mounted on each side of the device to a pair of said vertical structural members in a plane parallel to, and mid-way between the plane of the continuous circular hoop member and the plane of the open hoop member, with the open hoop member being of a size to fit under the armpits and about the back of a wearer, and the continuous circular hoop member being of a size to fit freely about the body of the wearer, with said vertical structural members being of adjustable length, so that the device may be carried by a skater with the open hoop member fitted under his armpits, the continuous circular hoop member located about the mid-section of the body of the skater, and with each hand of the skater grasping a lateral member, in which a hand grip member of resilient composition is fitted on each lateral member, and in which grip member of soft resilient composition is fitted on each side to the open hoop member, adaptable for fitting under the armpit of a wearer. 